When E. D. Cope died in 1897 his alcoholic collection was bequeathed to the Academy and Henry W. Fowler detailed to transfer the collection from Cope's home on Cherry St. Very few of Cope's specimens had been pictured and Fowler vowed he would draw every fish in the Academy's collection. This vow was never fully realized but 4,007 species are now represented in pencil, ink, wash drawings or watercolor, the illustrations mounted on 2,358 pieces and wrapped in 65 packages. A typed index, alphabetically arranged under generic names, by M. Thayer and V. T. Phillips is available in the Manuscript department.

Gift of the author, with the stipulation that the Academy preserve and service the collection, making it available to outside ichthyologists. Permission to publish is to be authorized by the manuscript librarian and only on condition that the photographic work be done in the Academy building. May, 1958.